Alabama's two U.S. Senators, Richard Shelby and Jeff Sessions were among 50 senators to vote against expanding background checks for more gun purchases, rejecting the proposal the day after the latest U.S. mass shooting that left 14 people dead in San Bernardino, California. Thursday's 50-47 vote underscored that political gridlock remains over curbing firearms.
Shared Costs Falling
According to the Alabama Department of Labor, shared costs to employers have fallen to zero for 2016. Shared costs represent a portion of unemployment insurance taxes employers pay on each employee. Communications Director for the Department Tara Hutchison says the company's size will dictate the amount of savings. Hutchison says a reduction in unemployment compensation claims has led to the drop in shared costs as well as the state's participation in the Federal Treasury Offset Program, which captures income tax refunds in order to repay benefit claim overpayments.
Drought Free
The entire state is almost drought-free for the first time in almost 24 months. According to weather officials with the U.S. Drought Monitor, recent wet weather has helped end drought conditions in all 67 counties for the first time since late January 2014. Nine other states, including neighboring Mississippi and Tennessee also are drought free.